Rotating conduit control



June 30, 1964 T. M. ENGLEHART ETAL ROTATING CONDUIT CONTROL Fig. 1.

Filed Jan. 22, 1962 III" Il..

III..

INVENTOR. THEoDoRe M ENGLEHART, RucnARn L. CocHRAN and wn.\.\AM N.ENGEL A'Horneys IIII United States Patent O 3,138,922 ROTATING CONDUIT CONTROL Theodore M. Englehart, Richard L. Cochran, and William N. Engel, all of Indianapolis, Ind., assignors to The Buehler Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,636 3 Claims. (Cl. 60-35.55)

The present invention relates to a jet propelled watercraft and more particularly to means for controlling the direction of such craft.

One form of jet propelled boat incorporates an engine operatively connected to a pump located within a conduit extending through the boat from an intake opening at the bottom of the boat to an exhaust at the rear of the boat. Water is drawn into this conduit through the intake opening and is exhausted in a stream from the rear of the boat causing forward movement. The direction of movement of the boat is controlled by deflecting the stream of water as it leaves the rear of the boat. For example, the stream could be deflected in a horizontal plane for steering or could be deiiected so as to cause the stream to ow beneath and forwardly of the boat causing rearward movement thereof.

One important problem in jet boat direction controls is the steering of the boat in reverse. Many presently available jet boat direction controls do not incorporate means for steering the boat while moving in reverse. Consequently, one object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat direction control incorporating improved means for steering while in reverse.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat direction control which is inexpensive and simple in construction, yet is strong and durable and capable of carrying out the requirements of-,a direction control in a most eicient manner.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a direction control system for watercraft comprising a conduit having an entrance end and an exit end. The craft has a straight passage which opens externally of the craft. There is also provided means for pumping water through the passage to exhaust in a jet from the passage opening. The conduit is mounted on the craft for swinging about a vertical axis with the entrance end of the conduit in registry with the passage opening. A gate is mounted n the conduit and is movable between a position closing off the exit end of the conduit and a position opening the exit end of the conduit. A further conduit is formed on the lowei surface of the first conduit and leads therefrom so as to open in a direction opposite to said first conduit.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. l is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the novel direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the jet boat direction control of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a jet boat having a hull 11. The hull is provided with an intake opening 12 providing communication between the bottom of the boat and a pump 13. The pump 13 has a passage therethrough which communicates between the intake opening 12 and a passage 15 through a tailpipe 16 secured to the rear of the boat. The pump 13 is driven by a conventional marine engine 17 by ice means of a shaft 20 and operates to pump water from the intake 12 to and out of the rear of the boat. The water is constricted into a jet stream by the converging surface 21 of an annular member 22 fixed within the passage 15.

Fixed to the tailpipe 16 is a recessed adapter member 25 which is also fixed tothe transom 26 of the jet boat. A conduit 26 is pivoted upon the member 25 for swinging about a vertical axis by means of oppositely projecting shafts 27 and 2S which are fixed to the conduit 26 and are coaxial of one another. The member 25 has bearing inserts 30, 31 and 32 mounted thereon which receive the shafts 27 and 28. The upper end of the shaft 27 has a tiller member 35 fixed thereto which may be controlled in any suitable manner within the boat to pivot or swing the conduit 26 about a vertical axis for steering of the craft.

The proximal portion 36 of the conduit 26 has a conical shape which is coaxial to and in registry with the exit end 37 of the annular member 22. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the exit end 37 of the member 22 has a sufficiently small opening therethrough that the jet passing from this exit end will not contact the inside walls of the conduit when the conduit is in the illustrated rearwardly extending position. In other words, only a nominal portion of the water of the jet will contact the interior of the conduit and thus, there will be little or no tendency for the speed of the jet to be slowed down by the conduit.

On the distal portion 40 of the conduit, there is mounted a gate 41. The gate incorporates arms 43 which are positioned outside of the conduit and are pivoted thereto by shafts 45 received within suitable bearing members 46 integral with the conduit. As shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the gate is movable to an upward position wherein most of the curved portion 44 of the gate is received in a recess 42 opening on the interior of the conduit 26, said recess curving to a different radius than said gate. When positioned in this recess 42, the gate is out of the path of the jet stream issuing from the member 22. y

The gate may be pivoted to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 3 by means of a rod and ball arrangement 47. This rod and ball arrangement includes a rod S0 having a threaded portion 51 upon which may be adjusted a coupling 52 to change the effective length of the rod. The coupling has, at its lower end, a bifurcated portion 5S which is pinned to the gate 41 and is pivotal with respect thereto. The rod 50 is slidably received through a ball 56 which may be rotated in any direction within a receptacle 57 fixed to the craft and including an annular cover member 58. This cover member may be removed if it is desired to disassemble the ball and rod assembly and also for lubrication purposes. It will be noted that even though the conduit pivots for steering the craft, the position of the gate 41 may be adjusted by pushing or pulling the rod 50 which can adjust for the movement of the conduit by the rotation of the ball 56 within its socket.

Formed integrally on the bottom of the conduit 26 is a further conduit 60 which leads from the conduit 26 in a direction forwardly of and beneath the boat. Water exhausted through the conduit 60 would move beneath the bottom 61 of the craft producing a rearward thrust upon the craft. When the gate is in the dotted line position of FIG. 3, all rearward flow through the exit opening 62 of the conduit is cut off and is redirected through the conduit 60 whereby the craft is caused to move rearwardly. Steering of the craft while in reverse may be effected in exactly the same manner as steering while moving forwardly, that is, by pivoting the tiller member 35. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the distal end 40 of the conduit is rectangular in shape so as to accommodate the rectangular shaped gate 41.

The direction control of the present invention may be used to balance forward and rearward flow whereby a neutral position is provided. This effect may be accomplished by positioning the gate between the solid and dotted line positions of FIG. 3. Alternatively, a neutral position may be effected by locating the gate so as to cut off all ow through the conduit exit 62 as well as Vthe conduit 60. This position of the gate is reached by pivoting the gate even further downwardly than the illustrated dotted line position of FIG. 3.

An annular flexible member 65 is connected at one end to the annular mmeber 22, and is doubled over and connected at its other end to the entrance end 66 of the conduit 26. This flexible annular member provides a closed passage and prevents leakage between the conduit and the member 22 when the conduit is pivoted at a high angle with relation to the axis of the tailpipe 15, and also when the gate is in its most downward neutral position and the jet is bottled up within the conduit 26.

From the above description, it will be obvious that the present invention provides an improved jet boat direction control which is just as capable of steering in reverse as in forward. It will also be clear that the jet boat direction control of the present invention is inexpensive and simple in construction, yet is strong and durable and capable of carrying out the requirements of a direction control in a most efficient manner.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

l. A direction control system for watercraft comprising a straight first conduit mounted on said craft and having a straight passage therethrough, said passage having a constricted exit opening rearwardly thereof, said system comprising means for pumping water through said passage to exhaust in a jet from said exit, a second conduit having an entrance opening and an exit opening, a pair of oppositely extending coaxial shafts xed to said second con-duit and pivotally mounted on said craft, means fixed to one of said shafts for pivoting said second conduit from within said craft, said second conduit being mounted in registry with said passage exit and pivotal to a rearwardly extending position wherein said jet moves through said second conduit with a nominal portion of the water of said jet contacting said second conduit, a flexible annular member surrounding said exit and connecting said first and second conduits so as to provide a closed passageway between said passage and second conduit, a gate pivotally mounted upon said second conduit for pivoting about a transversely extending horizontal axis, said gate being pivotal to a position closing oif said second conduit exit opening and to a position wherein said gate is received in the second conduit above the path of the jet, a ball mounted for ball-and-socket rotation upon said craft, a rod received within said craft, sldably received through said ball and pivotally connected to said gate for moving said gate between said positions.

2. The direction control system of claim 1 in which said second conduit has a recess in the inside Wall thereof which recess is out of the path of said jet when said second conduit is in said position, said gate when in said position above the path of the jet also being within said recess, said gate being curved to a different radius than said recess to reduce sand jamming.

3. The direction control of claim 1 in which the pivotal connection of said gate to said second condiut comprises a pair of arms integral with said gate and positioned on opposite sides of said second conduit and journal mounted on the second conduit on opposite outside surfaces thereof, said second conduit having a recess in the inside wall thereof which recess is out of the path of said jet when said second conduit is in said position, said gate when in said position above the path of the jet also being within said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,274 Campini Dec. 17, 1935 3,064,420 Goehler Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,616 Dowty Nov. 20, 1962 

1. A DIRECTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WATERCRAFT COMPRISING A STRAIGHT FIRST CONDUIT MOUNTED ON SAID CRAFT AND HAVING A STRAIGHT PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID PASSAGE HAVING A CONSTRICTED EXIT OPENING REARWARDLY THEREOF, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING MEANS FOR PUMPING WATER THROUGH SAID PASSAGE TO EXHAUST IN A JET FROM SAID EXIT, A SECOND CONDUIT HAVING AN ENTRANCE OPENING AND AN EXIT OPENING, A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY EXTENDING COAXIAL SHAFTS FIXED TO SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CRAFT, MEANS FIXED TO ONE OF SAID SHAFTS FOR PIVOTING SAID SECOND CONDUIT FROM WITHIN SAID CRAFT, SAID SECOND CONDUIT BEING MOUNTED IN REGISTRY WITH SAID PASSAGE EXIT AND PIVOTAL TO A REARWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION WHEREIN SAID JET MOVES THROUGH SAID SECOND CONDUIT WITH A NOMINAL PORTION OF THE WATER OF SAID JET CONTACTING SAID SECOND CONDUIT, A FLEXIBLE ANNULAR MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID EXIT AND CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS SO AS TO PROVIDE A CLOSED PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID PASSAGE AND SECOND CONDUIT, A GATE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON SAID SECOND CONDUIT FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID GATE BEING PIVOTAL TO A POSITION CLOSING OFF SAID SECOND CONDUIT EXIT OPENING AND TO A POSITION WHEREIN SAID GATE IS RECEIVED IN THE SECOND CONDUIT ABOVE THE PATH OF THE JET, A BALL MOUNTED FOR BALL-AND-SOCKET ROTATION UPON SAID CRAFT, A ROD RECEIVED WITHIN SAID CRAFT, SLIDABLY RECEIVED THROUGH SAID BALL AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID GATE FOR MOVING SAID GATE BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS. 